I wasn‘t sure what to expect when I started reading this book but I must say that even if this book is not what I would usually read on Friday evening, I still enjoyed it. It’s a very nicely written book.

4.5 stars
Funny and irreverent, yet also deep and profound while being sage and wise, too. That does sound like a tall order for someone to deliver, but Steven Petrow does it in this book, where he gets candid with the reader and bares (almost!) all. It most often felt like being at a coffee table in one of those cozy lounges, the author sitting on the other side of the table and regaling you with stories from their life and also imparting the wisdom and knowledge they've amassed through the years. Yet, there's still so much to go, because as long as you're alive, you're ageing, and this won't stop until you're, well, dead...and then, it's a moot point, really, innit?
I could even go as far as saying this is a guide for life - 'that' life that will come 'later' for all of us, no matter where we are right now in our existence. As such, it's worth a read. Just to know what awaits/could await oneself in the future...and take away Steven Petrow's advice and observations along

This is a funny and poignant reflection on getting older. I’m at the point in life where my mortality is more than a distant notion, and it really helped me reflect on some things. I recommend it for anyone facing midlife or older.

I can only hope I don’t do this stuff, but based on own parents,; I will. Food for thought and pretty funny in parts. Would recommend to my friends in the 50+ age group

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* What a great, hilarious book lmao really loved reading it and hope i remember the important things when im old lol

Author Steven Petrow is a splendid writer and this book of sometimes hilarious, sometimes quite serious promises he makes to himself about aging in a dignified manner is perfection. I am about Steven’s age (okay, I’m three years older) and I am currently the primary caregiver for my 90 year-old sometimes cantankerous gay uncle. Most of Steven’s stories about his parents as they aged ring stingingly true. This book is a delight and yet also a sobering meditation on how each of us navigates aging, hopefully with grace and humor.

EXCERPT: Perhaps you remember a few years ago, 'Saturday Night Live' spoofed the American Echo, better known as 'Alexa', beginning with this cautionary sentence: 'The latest technology isn't always easy for people of a certain age.' Referring to a fictitious partnership between Amazon and AARP, the announcer declares that the 'American Echo Silver' edition is designed specifically for the Greatest Generation. It is super loud, and responds to any name remotely like Alexa, including Allegra, Odessa, Anita, Alberta, Alisha, Alessandra, Excedrin and Alopecia. I especially liked the SNL promo for the Echo Silver's handy-dandy feature that helps old people find things.

'Amelia, where did I put the phone?'
'The phone is in your right hand.'

Alexa also provides the latest in sports:

'Clarissa, how many times did Satchel Paige strike out last night?'
'Satchel Paige died in 1982.'
'How many did he get?'
'Satchel Paige died. Is dead.'

Unlike other Alexa editions, this one also provides an 'uh-huh feature' for long rambling stories - because you know the stereotype of old people always repeating themselves.

Simultaneously hilarious and ageist, the skit highlighted several of the ways that our parents generation struggles to master new devices, social media apps and plain old email. Sure, we laugh - but it's not like we're doing so well right now, either.

For instance, one friend told me about her mother's struggles with the new TV she and her siblings had given her. 'Mom loved the picture quality, but the remote just about did her in. We heard from neighbours that every so often, they'd get a call asking for help,' she said. 'We finally figured out that every time Mom accidentally hit 'menu', she practically had to dial 911 - she could press up and down on volume and channels, but the options on the menu were beyond her, so she'd need help getting back to a screen she recognized.'

This friend got a good laugh out of it at the time, but now reports a new found sympathy for her mom. 'I have a new smart TV that's definitely smarter than I am,' she told me.

ABOUT 'STUPID THINGS I WON'T DO WHEN I GET OLD': Soon after his 50th birthday, Steven Petrow began assembling a list of “things I won’t do when I get old”—mostly a catalog of all the things he thought his then 70-something year old parents were doing wrong. That list, which included “You won’t have to shout at me that I’m deaf,” and “I won’t blame the family dog for my incontinence,” became the basis of this rousing collection of do’s and don’ts, wills and won’ts that is equal parts hilarious, honest, and practical.

The fact is, we don’t want to age the way previous generations did. “Old people” hoard. They bore relatives—and strangers—with tales of their aches and pains. They insist on driving long after they’ve become a danger to others (and themselves). They eat dinner at 4pm. They swear they don’t need a cane or walker (and guess what happens next). They never, ever apologize. But there is another way . . .

In Stupid Things I Won’t Do When I’m Old, Petrow candidly addresses the fears, frustrations, and stereotypes that accompany aging. He offers a blueprint for the new old age, and an understanding that aging and illness are not the same. As he writes, “I meant the list to serve as a pointed reminder—to me—to make different choices when I eventually cross the threshold to ‘old.’”

Getting older is a privilege. This essential guide reveals how to do it with grace, wisdom, humor, and hope. And without hoarding.

MY THOUGHTS: Getting older. We're all doing it, until we stop, and Steven has written about his parents and his own journey with an easy humour and realism that had me simultaneously laughing and recognizing little bits of both myself and my husband, and our parents.

He has written a checklist of pitfalls and ways to avoid them as we reach certain milestones. He hasn't confined himself to those amongst us who are aging healthily - he himself hasn't, and he offers great advice tempered with experience on judging just how much people want to know, and just how much and how to tell them.

Along with the amusing anecdotes and sage advice on aging both with and without familial support, Steven takes us through the journeys to the end of some of his beloved friends, and how well, or otherwise, they handled their impending demise.

There is plenty to take away from this read. It offers a wonderful insight for children struggling to deal with the changes in their aging parents, and for those of us who have no idea how we got to the number of years we are so rapidly. I am closer to 70 than 60. Some days I feel twenty one and some days I feel ninety one. I have no idea where all those years went, and so fast! but I enjoyed them and I intend to enjoy the years left to me, without being a burden. Thanks to Steven's lists I now have markers to recognize, and actions I can take.

A book for everyone, no matter your age.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.3

#StupidThingsIWontDoWhenIGetOld #NetGalley

I: @mrstevenpetrow @kensingtonbooks

T: @StevenPetrow @KensingtonBooks

# health #memoir #aging #practicalguide #nonfiction #life

THE AUTHOR: Steven Petrow is an award-winning journalist and book author who is best known for his Washington Post and New York Times essays on aging, health, and LGBTQ issues. He's currently a contributing writer to The Post and The Times as well as a columnist for USA Today.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books, Citadel, via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old by Steven Petrow for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

Thank you Steven, Kensington Books Publishing and NetGalley for the digital copy of Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old.

This memoir thoroughly amazed me. The things Steven has mentioned what he shouldn't be following the way his ailing parents did, had me resonate my personal experience with my grandfather in my home.

Like Steven, I understand the flux of when it's too soon to be called old. My parents always say, "We are becoming old," Someone I knew, in their 40s, said, "It's your time. Our time is gone." It had me wonder, why people in their prime age think they are becoming old? When they are abreast of latest trends, why they still think they are 'past' when they are living in the 'present'? These questions are humorously and realistically answered by Steven. I agree most of what he said, especially the debate between boomers and millennials. His experiences with dealing cancer, tweaking his age for dating, the steps he had to take for his ill parents and confronting the misconceptions the old and young have, are very engrossing to dive in.

I must say, I found every chapter enlightening. As I read on, I felt I got to know him personally. His fluid writing really connected me. After I finished reading, I felt like giving him a hug.

This is a must read. It was quick, funny, thought-provoking and something that everyone should be discussing. I will definitely recommend this book.

A realistic read regarding how we turn into our parents as we age. I connected with this book as there were many times I used to say, “when I reach your age I will never….(fill in blank); yet, now that I am older I find myself doing exactly what my parents would have done. It’s nice to know I am not the only one experiencing this phenomenon. The book was very easy to read and the subject matter was witty instead of dull and dry. There is something for everyone in this book!

This book was a powerful reminder of what faces us in old age, as well as a reminder to be more understanding and gentle with my aging parents. We will all be there soon enough!

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Books for access to this arc.

I’ve read – and tried to read – books that discussed various ages of life. Some worked for me and others I didn’t make it past chapter two. This book struck a chord with me but that’s probably because it is aimed at my age group – the younger Boomers. Honestly I think people in their 50s and 60s would take to it best as we are still at the point where we can make different choices and try to avoid some of the things that our parents did and that we get labeled as doing ourselves. I would warn readers that a lot of these subjects are not and aren’t meant to be funny.

In a series of short chapters, traits and habits of our parents and grandparents are discussed – often in terms of how they affect us. Some of these are good things and others are what gives the book its title. The topics range from amusing to sad. Life lessons that you’ve learned from watching your own parents are incorporated. It’s probably the realization that I have fewer years ahead of me than I have behind that is driving me to seek out books such as these but this is another one that will hopefully nip at me to get my life in order so that I can enjoy what remains to the fullest. B

`3.5 stars

Enjoyed this, found it warm and insightful. But like one other reviewer on Goodreads mentioned, it just wasn’t as funny as I expected it to be.

Thanks NetGalley, Kensington Books and Steven Petrow for an ARC to review.
An insightful journey of what not to do when you get old based on the writer's own personal experience.
I didn't dislike it but it wasn't entirely my cup of tea.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC!

As a young(ish) person you always look and think about old people as people at least twice your age. The truth is that old is more a mental thing than a physical thing, the classical POV of "age is just a number". And is always closer than you think, might just be the next phone update....

Petrow's book starts off kind of gloomy and even a bit scary about what life after a certain age (I'd say around 50 yo...) looks like and what to expect by looking at older folks.

"Stupid Things I Won't Do When I Get Old" is actually funny and insightful. It helps us understand our parents, grandparents and older coworkers better and have better relationships. But it also makes a good point about making your own list to keep yourself on your toes and always young and youthful.

I fully enjoyed every minute of this book and cannot wait for everyone to read it!

The book consists of three parts, with a total of about 43 chapters. Every chapter title starts with “I Won't...” and discusses one specific thing on Petrow's list, and why he has sworn to never do it.

Petrow explains in the Introduction that he created his original “Things I won't do” list, when he was frustrated by his aging parents, and somewhat afraid of getting older himself. He then muses for a while about when “old” actually is, since he himself is 63, and some of his peers seem to consider themselves to be old. He eventually settles on the idea that you are “old” whenever you THINK you are old.

Each chapter is fairly short, and most are lighthearted and humorous; although some toward the end of the book are more serious and introspective. The topics aren't really connected, it is just a random list of things that slightly annoy the author, things he realizes are silly or awkward that he wants to remind himself not to do, and things he wants to plan for in the future. A few of my favorites were “I won't avoid looking at myself naked in the mirror” and “I won't blame the dog for my leaky pipes.”

The book was easy to read, and gave me a few laughs; although some of the later chapters were a bit depressing too. Overall I think it is pretty good, as long as you know what to expect: 43 individual rants, some funny and some less so, by a 63 year old man with a decent sense of humor.

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this book, and ended up really loving it. The author starts with a humorous take, but his writing is deeply personal and he shares openly and honestly from his own life and family background, as he explores some of the mantras many of us have - consciously or subconsciously - regarding aging. At the same time, this serves as a wake-up call for things I never thought about and realized I should be aware of in terms of getting older.

The author has over the years, from his personal experiences and with his parents aging experiences, made a list of things he found annoying about old age and old people. These are all habits a majority of senior citizens automatically fall into and the author says that he wants to avoid them at all costs. Elaborating each of these habits as chapters, he shares his personal stories related to those habits.

This book isn’t meant for everyone to read. I think it’s perfectly suited for people above the age of 60 who due to their age, and reduced body control, unknowingly fall into annoying habits. The author does mention that he is trying to be blunt but not mean, which is noteworthy.

I did not find the book very entertaining or useful. Other than reading the titles of the chapters, and a few highlighted lines at the beginning of each chapter, that will give you a gist of what the author has to say, you don’t need to read anything else from the book.

I think I was the wrong audience for this book. This book felt like it rambled. While there was some helpful things throughout, I don't think it was meant for somebody like me (mother in her late 20s) to read!

I was granted an advanced copy of this text by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a fun little read in my spare time between doing projects around my house. It was light, funny, and offered an escape. Petrow will not win any awards for this, but it sure is entertaining and will be a good gift for the holiday season for parents.

I've just turned 72, and find that according to this book, I've already done too many stupid things! Full of wit and humour, and some sage advice, the author leads us through the many pitfalls of growing older.